Page 91 of Grease Monkey
Garret glances behind him before leaning down conspiratorially. “Well, it’s Friday, and you worked your lunch. Why don’t you just play hooky and take the last couple of hours off?”
I laugh for real for the first time in what feels like a lifetime and glance at the clock.
“You’re a bad influence,” I say, pointing my finger at him as he grins.
“Well, you work too hard. You deserve it.”
“Thanks, Garret. Want to give me a hand to pack these binders up so I can go home?”
He nods and we quickly clean up the office, ready for the weekend.
“Have you been out much since you got here?” he asks, closing the lid to one of the boxes he was filling.
I shake my head.
“What have you been doing with all your time?” He laughs. “You’ve been here for a month and all you’ve done is work?”
And mess around with my ex.
“You need to have a night out. Go drinking, go dancing, have fun that’s not looking at numbers.”
“I think I’m a little old to be going out dancing with you,” I say, and then burst out laughing when I see his face. “I’m kidding, Garret. It was a joke.”
He nods, itching the back of his neck. Oh, shoot, I made the kid uncomfortable.
“How old are you, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“Twenty-five. You?”
“Nineteen.”
“See? Too old,” I say with a smirk, but freeze when Garret steps a little closer.
“I actually like older women,” he says, running his gaze up the length of my body.
I shift on the spot. “Oh… um, Garret…”
“I’m kidding,” he beams, holding his hands up with a laugh. “You are so not my type. Plus, I have a girlfriend.”
“Oh my God,” I huff, shaking my head in disbelief. “You had me going there.”
His grin widens. “I know, right. But I took your mind off whatever was making you sad.”
I place some loose paper in a pile and turn to look at him. “What makes you think I’m sad?”
He wrinkles his nose, but is kind enough to not look me over again like some wounded animal.
“I’m training to be a psychologist.” He waves his arm around the office. “I’m just a temp here during the holidays.”
“Wow, smart kid.” He nods and lifts a box, taking it to the office door.
Looking back over his shoulder, he offers a small smile. “If you’re ever lonely, a bunch of us have lunch in the cafeteria every afternoon at one if you want to join us. It must isolating up here on your own every day.”
“Thanks, Garret.”
He nods again and disappears out of the office door, leaving me feeling extremely alone for the first time in my life.
“Shay?” I open the door, late the following afternoon, slack-jawed and eyes instantly brimming with tears as I grab my best friend and haul her against me for a hug.
